


Shell Game

by acidquill



Category: White Collar
Genre: Character Study, Gen, Introspection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-17
Updated: 2013-01-17
Packaged: 2017-11-25 19:20:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/642170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acidquill/pseuds/acidquill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Trust isn't the problem, except it is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shell Game

**Author's Note:**

> set during 1x07. originally written Dec 18 2009.

Neal doesn’t have a problem getting people to trust him. After all, he could’ve hardly become who he is – was - without the ability to charm, persuade, beguile. He’s long been a connoisseur of more than just the good life; he thrives on how much, and how readily, he can insinuate himself into someone’s good graces.  
  
The problem is there aren’t a hell of a lot of people _Neal_ can trust. And the list keeps getting smaller. Maybe it’s payback for all the times he’s taken advantage of someone’s belief that he was a good guy – an earnest art student wanting _just one glimpse_ of a painting, someone’s grandson trying so hard to find a first edition of a book because it’s his grandfather’s last request.  
  
Neal’s played a lot of parts, but he never believed any of that would lead him here. There have only been a handful of times he’s been on the wrong side of a job; this time, he thinks, is easily the worst. Kate’s out there somewhere, and all he can do is watch his back and try to figure out who’s playing him. It doesn’t help that he can’t shake Moz’s warning; he doesn’t want to think about Kate being a part of this plan – whatever it is – bent on using him, but now that the thought’s _there_ , he can’t ignore it either.  
  
After all, even he’s had to learn a few things the hard way. Neal can’t help but think this is going to be another one.


End file.
